In his monthly Extreme Data column (which takes a break this issue), Tom Kevan has described how service oriented architecture (SOA) software enhances the value of sensor data by making them easily available to large numbers of users.
Now comes a benchmark report from the Aberdeen Group saying 9 of every 10 companies are adopting or have adopted SOAs and will finish 2006 with SOA planning, design, and programming experience. The report is available publicly thanks to underwriting from IBM, Fiorano, and TIBCO Software. (www.sensorsmag.com/1106/SCsoa1)
Among SOA product options is a new entry from Oracle. The company claims the industry's first integrated, standards-based product to help organizations build, deploy, and manage event-driven applications. Oracle Event-Driven Architecture Suite includes middleware that allow you to sense, identify, analyze, and respond to business events in real time. Among these is Oracle Sensor Edge Server, which captures, filters, and manages events from physical sensors and automation equipment, including RFID. Event-driven architecture (EDA) is a key component of next-generation SOA 2.0, which defines how events and services link together to deliver a flexible and responsive IT infrastructure. (www.sensorsmag.com/1106/SCsoa2)